As young people enter the anonymous and immersive world of social media, too many of them indulge in abusive behavior commonly called “cyber-bullying.” Others fall prey to manipulation by adult predators posing as adolescents. Some of those so-called cyber-stalkers may be in uniform.

Meridian, Idaho School Resource Officer David Gomez has publicly admitted to making fake profiles on various social media accounts and “friending” Middle School students. In a TV interview, Officer Gomez described telling students that he was the 16-year-old they friended that that they’re “lucky it’s Officer Gomez and not a cyber-predator.”

If any other adult admitted to this conduct, he could face prosecution. Whatever his intentions, Gomez’s actions arguably violate Title 18, Section 3001 of the Idaho State Code, which designates “false personation” as a crime punishable by two years of imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.